Injustice
by bandgrad2008
Summary: Emma and Regina were happy once, until Regina disappeared. Now Emma's been accused of murder and who else is on the case but Regina? Rated M for later chapters. AU Swan Queen
1. Accusations

**Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT.**

**A/N: So this is my first multi-chap for Swan Queen and the first fic I've done in a while. Hopefully I can keep this one at least one chapter ahead. Thanks to FreedomInTheMusic for reading and criticizing, it means a lot.**

**Enjoy.**

"Holy shit. _Regina_?!" Emma's jaw drops as she gapes incredulously at the brunette woman, shocked that she should see her again. Regina's eyes avoid hers, instead addressing the officer positioned behind her chair as she begins to direct his orders. The blonde shakes her head, leaning across the table to steal Regina's attention. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Miss Swan, I would refrain from questioning my personal business if I were you," the woman replies, eyes narrowing dangerously as they lock with Emma's, and for the first time in her life, Emma is afraid. Of what, however, she doesn't understand. "May I remind you that you are currently in an interrogation room and that anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law?"

Emma rolls her eyes. "Yeah, I know. God, I've been through this enough to have every damn law memorized."

"Then why must you insist on breaking every single one of them, Miss Swan?" Regina sits in the metal chair at the opposite side of the table and opens the file sitting between them. "You were spotted leaving the home of a man approximately one hour before he was found dead." She glances at the accused for confirmation, receiving a slight shrug from the blonde. "Do you deny this accusation?"

"Look, you just read what the cop had to say. No matter what I say, everyone will believe his word over mine. Even if there's a thread of a chance that someone actually listens to what I have to say, even though it would be the truth, they'd be compromised and my case would go like every other convicted innocent's; I'll end up in jail regardless of my crime and intentions. So just get to the chase." She leans back in her seat and frowns. "I have a lawyer, not that it'll do me any good."

Regina frowns at the unfortunate truth of the matter and folds her hands on the table. "Use this opportunity to explain your side of the story or no one will even consider you innocent." Although it isn't meant to threaten Emma, the statement clearly offends her and she glares at the detective.

"Okay, you want a useless statement? I went to Neal's to tell him that he needed to be more financially involved in his son's life. Do you know how hard it is to raise a kid when you live paycheck to paycheck?" She sighs. "Anyway, my kid's class is going on a field trip and since I can't afford it myself, I went to Neal's to ask him to contribute. Yeah, we fought, but it was definitely just yelling back and forth and then I left. I swear, that's all that happened," she adds sincerely, her eyes silently pleading with Regina to believe her.

Regina is silent for a moment, rereading the written statement between them silently a few times before raising her gaze to Emma's again. "Say I believe you. Say the entire jury believes you. Is there anyone who can confirm this as the truth?"

Emma closes her eyes, trying to remember the surroundings three nights ago when she and Neal had fought in his apartment. She supposes the woman who lived across the hall would be able to provide a statement, but she's unsure as to whether the woman had even been home at the time. "You could always try the woman across the hall from where Neal lived. They were pretty close; at least, that's what it always seemed like."

Regina notices that there is not a single hint of jealousy or anger in her voice and briefly wonders if this is the same Emma she had known long ago. "We'll speak with her," she assures Emma, who has redirected her attention to the cuffs on her wrists. Motioning to the officer to remove them, she continues. "We'll keep in touch, Miss Swan. For your sake and your son's, please, do not leave town."

Emma stares at the woman, finding the familiar softness in her expression, and nods once, eyeing the officer as he removes her restraints. Returning her gaze to the brunette, she slips a small genuine smile and the tightening coil in her chest eases when Regina returns it.

_The chilly autumn air whips unmercifully at Emma's face as she sits on the edge of the high school roof, staring out at the football field at the edge of the campus, the jocks running through their plays for the upcoming game Friday night. She tucks her jacket tighter around her in an unsuccessful attempt to warm herself and sighs, reaching for her slingshot and a pebble from the pile she'd collected on the way to the roof._

_Aiming for the quarterback currently standing on the sidelines, head thrown back as he gulps water from one of the team's water bottles, she takes a deep breath before releasing the elastic, watching her target closely for proof of her shot. She smirks when Marcus howls in pain, hand slapping over the back of his head, and he spins in circles, looking for his attacker._

_Emma chuckles to herself as she picks another pebble and aims for another player—she's pretty sure he's a wide receiver—and takes another deep breath. "Excuse me, I don't think you're supposed to be up here," a voice behind her offers and she jumps, her aim going wide and missing the field entirely._

"_Damn it!" She turns to tell the intruder to leave her alone, but she freezes. Of course it would be the principal's daughter. Calculating the chance the girl would actually relay this to her mother and the amount she could offer the brunette to keep her quiet, Emma narrows her eyes. "What are you doing up here then, if no one's supposed to be?"_

_The girl rolls her eyes. "You could have some manners." She crosses her arms and examines the blonde. "You're that Swan girl, right? The one who disrupts classes and causes trouble everywhere you go?"_

_Emma smirks proudly. "So what if I am? Are you going to tell your mother what I'm doing, Princess?" Much to her surprise, Regina shakes her head and steps closer, halting five feet away from her. "Can I help you?" the blonde asks cautiously, confused by the girl's actions. Of course, she's used to failing at the intimidation factor, but to have the principal's daughter in her personal space and not being the snobby bitch she usually is throws Emma off guard._

_Regina raises her brow curiously as she stares at the slingshot in Emma's hand, turning her attention to the pile of pebbles as she tries to piece together the delinquent's intentions. "I'm going to pretend I didn't see any of this," she mutters. "I was never here and neither were you." Emma nods in agreement and watches in confusion as Regina exits through the door to the stairs, wondering whether she can actually trust the principal's daughter not to rat her out._

The faint barking of a dog carries through an apartment door on the first floor as Emma passes and she rolls her eyes, climbing the stairs to the second floor. Shoving her key in the lock, she turns it and the doorknob and pushes the door open to a silent apartment. Ruby is sprawled out on the couch in the living room, a ten-year-old Henry leaning against it on the floor, focused on the cartoon playing on the television.

The tiny brunette turns when he hears his mother set her keys on the kitchen counter and jumps to his feet, rushing to her and flinging himself at her for a hug. She catches him mid-leap and twirls in a circle, hoping to better his mood after the past few days of her absence and the death of his father. "Were you in jail, Mom?" he inquires when she sets him on his feet and she shakes her head, pulling the box of chocolate cereal from the cabinet.

"No, kid, I wasn't in jail. The police just wanted to ask me some questions," she explains, searching for two bowls and spoons. "Everything's alright, though," she assures him with a smile.

She watches as he grabs the gallon of milk from the refrigerator and pours enough to cover their nearly full bowls of cereal before replacing the jug in its rightful place. As they eat, she asks him how he feels and about the past three days he's spent with Ruby whilst she was away. Ruby enters the kitchen just as he's animatedly filling his mother in on how they went to the zoo the previous day. "Can I have a lemur, Mom? They're really cool!"

Ruby chuckles and turns on the coffee maker, leaning against the counter with her arms crossed. Noticing that Henry had finished his cereal, Emma smiles at the boy. "Hey, why don't you go and get dressed while I talk to Ruby and I'll take you to the park." Henry hops off of the bar stool and hurries from the room, and Emma waits until she hears his bedroom door shut before she addresses her friend. "Guess who's on my case?" Ruby shrugs, leaving the rhetorical question for the blonde to answer. "Regina fucking Mills."

"Are you kidding me?" Ruby's eyes are wide with surprise. "Didn't she disappear, like, ten years ago?"

Emma nods, moving the used bowls to the sink and rinsing them. "I tried to ask her what happened to her, but I guess an interrogation room isn't the best place to ask those questions." She rolls her eyes and turns to face her friend. "By the way, thank you for watching Henry on short notice."

The brunette waves away the gratitude and shakes her head. "It's no problem, Emma. You know I love that boy as if he were my own." She smirks. "If you ever want to go find and question Regina, though, I'll be happy to watch him for as long as it takes."

Emma laughs and leans against the counter, arms crossed. "Yeah, I don't think I'll be doing that." The idea nags at her, however, and she finds herself unsure of whether she would truly be able to refrain from attempting to figure out what happened to the woman. She doesn't have the faintest clue as to how she would even approach Regina about the past, aside from a rash "what happened?" and she doubts Regina Mills would be willing to share anything with her after all these years.

When Henry returns to the kitchen, Emma is inviting Ruby to join them at the park, to which he automatically jumps in to persuade her with ice cream. The women pretend to hesitate before agreeing to buy ice cream and chuckle to themselves when he all but drags them out of the apartment.

The park is a busy cluster of children running around engaged in either a game of tag or climbing on the playground and Henry rushes off to join his friends with a promise that he'll be back soon. Ruby and Emma sit on a bench toward the perimeter of the park, watching as Henry nearly tackles one of his classmates.

"_Do you ever not cause trouble, Swan?" Regina asks, sitting down on the graveled surface of the roof before scooting forward and dangling her legs over the edge._

_Emma shrugs, avoiding the gaze of the girl beside her. "I didn't do it this time," she defends casually. "I just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time." She smirks. "I wish I had done it, though, to be honest. The look on Cassidy's face was hilarious." There's a long pause as the blonde remembers the shocked expression etched on Neal Cassidy's face when the can of soda exploded in his face and all over the boy's table and friends at lunchtime._

_Regina stares at her disapprovingly. "Your name was on the can with a note for him. All of the evidence points to you…"_

"_I didn't do it, okay?" Emma backs away from the edge of the roof and stands, throwing her slingshot down. She ignores it and glares at Regina. "Look, just because evidence makes a person look guilty, it doesn't mean that they are. Anyone can be framed, especially if someone has a perfect target."_

_Regina swings her legs back onto the roof and jumps to her feet, brown eyes locking with green. Her gut is telling her to believe the accused girl, but with the example of being taught that evidence reveals guilt, she finds herself conflicted._

_To hell what everyone else believes._

_Her shoulders sag in defeat and belief that Emma Swan truly is innocent. "I don't think you did it," she murmurs. Emma's glare softens and she crouches to pick up the neglected weapon. "Why didn't you do it?" Regina adds, confused. Surely if Emma had wanted to do it, she would have acted, wouldn't she?_

_The blonde shrugs. "Maybe it's because I'm not always the bad guy," she says, her voice barely a whisper as she rises, realizing that Regina has moved closer. Emma swallows, trying to ignore the deafening pounding of her heart, and she releases a breath she didn't know she was holding. When Regina turns away from her, she sighs with relief and decides that she isn't going down this path, not at all with Regina. "I'll accept the blame," she mutters, causing the brunette to stare at her. "Since everyone already thinks I did it, no one will listen to me otherwise. So I'll face the consequences."_

Emma blinks when Ruby snaps her fingers in front of her eyes, and she stares dumbfounded at her best friend. "Were you thinking about Regina or something?" the brunette inquires, raising a brow. "You had that panic look you get whenever you think of her."

Searching for Henry amongst the playing children, she sighs. "Do you think she disappeared because of me?" she mutters. "Do you think she left because I wanted to keep Henry?"

Ruby shakes her head. "That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard you say, Emma, and you've said a lot of stupid things since we've met." She pauses for a moment. "She'd never have left you because of Henry. Why would anyone?" Emma flinches. Neal had left her in his typical cowardly state of mind that he shouldn't have to raise a kid when he was barely graduating high school. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"

Emma shrugs. "It's fine, Ruby. Henry wasn't the mistake…Neal was."

As if he'd heard his name, Henry darted toward them, stopping a few feet away and doubling over to catch his breath. "Hey, Mom, is it okay if I go to Paige's house? A few of the other kids are…" He dons his practiced begging, puppy dog eyes, and Emma instantly melts, silently giving him permission with a nod. Hugging her, he thanks her quickly and hurries to join the group leaving the park.

Ruby laughs. "That boy has you wrapped around his finger with that look."

Emma can't help the smile that forms and shrugs. "Yeah, I guess he does."


	2. Middle of the Night

**Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT.**

**A/N: So I've decided on making these weekly updates. Gives me time and I don't feel pressured to write as quickly. Although this would be the first time that I'll have chapters _waiting_ to be published...This chapter is a bit shorter, but I'm definitely going to make it up next chapter (which I really need to start writing...)**

**Enjoy.**

Without Henry at home that night—another of his friends had invited him for a sleepover—Emma found that it was easier to relax with Ruby than if he had been present. The two women could speak freely about the interrogation without concern that Henry would hear them and ask questions, especially about the ghost from their past. They didn't dwell on the topic of Regina, however, after Emma had abruptly closed off and went to the kitchen to find a bottle of liquor.

Ruby changed the subject, instead moving on to Henry's upcoming field trip and offering to put forth a chunk of the fee, much to Emma's protests. "Come on, Emma, we both really want him to go and he shouldn't be punished just because of what happened. And I have no problem about spending money on your son; he's my family too." The brunette pries the pint of vodka from her best friend's hand and twists the cap closed. "I love you, but you're so goddamn stubborn when it comes to Henry."

Emma sighs, running a hand through blonde curls, and nods in defeat. "Fine, but whether you like it or not, I'm going to pay you back, Ruby." Ruby shakes her head, but Emma glares at her for a moment before her scowl softens. "At least I know where Henry's been learning to be persistent."

The brunette grins, grabbing Emma's wrist and leading her to the living room. She pushes her friend onto the couch and crosses the room to the TV stand, searching through the cases of DVDs and deciding on the scariest horror film she can find. "Now," she announces, "without Henry here, we can be as obnoxiously disruptive as possible." Emma smirks, translating Ruby's code for "time to be immature and forget about everything else" and rolls her eyes as the movie begins to play.

"_I know you did it!" Neal accuses, shoving Emma and pointing his finger at her. She doesn't even argue with him, realizing that the boy isn't going to listen to her. "You're always fucking with people for no reason. Everyone's getting tired of your shit."_

"_Everyone or just _you_?" Emma challenges. She tosses her hands up in frustration. "You might find it hard to believe, but there are people I don't mess with, and that's because I care about them. Even worse, you're one of them. I didn't make that can explode in your face. And if you paid enough attention to the note, it wasn't even my handwriting!"_

"_Then who else would it be?" _

_Emma glares at him and releases the breath she had been holding. "I don't know. But maybe you should find out before you accuse the person you should be defending." She grabs her jacket from his bed and shoves past him. "For the record, Neal, we're done. I don't want anything else to do with you."_

_Neal grasps her wrist, effectively stopping her for a second before she yanks her arm free. "Where are you going? You can't just break up with me over a stupid fight."_

_Emma shrugs. "For one, it's not just a stupid fight; it's your false accusations without even listening to what I have to say. And second, I'm pretty sure I just did." Ignoring the rest of his protest, she turns on her heel and leaves his bedroom, slamming the front door of the house behind her. She feels oddly calm after breaking up with him, despite their argument, and she realizes that perhaps this was inevitable. _

_As she passes the public library at the intersection four blocks from Neal's house, she catches a glimpse of Regina at the desk, discussing something with the librarian. Emma hesitates, glancing down the street to her left to see if Ruby would be waiting for her, and enters the library when the street is empty. Regina smile drops when she notices the blonde passing her, and she excuses herself from her conversation, following Emma to the farthest table on the opposite end of the reference section. _

"_Neal didn't believe me," Emma murmurs just loud enough for her companion to hear her. "He just continually accused me and I just…I couldn't deal with him anymore. I ended it." She doesn't understand why she's explaining this to the brunette when there's no reason for the other girl to even care about her personal life._

_Regina, however, surprises her. Reaching across the table, she takes the blonde's hand in hers and smiles. "Neal Cassidy is probably the biggest idiot I have ever had the misfortune of meeting. You deserve someone far better than him." Emma can't stop the smile that tugs at the corners of her mouth, and for once, she's glad to have sought out the company of the principal's daughter._

Knuckles rapping against the apartment door stir Emma from a deep sleep and she attempts to roll over, only to find that something is preventing her from moving. Ruby is half-lying on her, face buried in her neck and arm draped across her waist, and the blonde groans, pushing at her best friend. The brunette groans and mutters incoherently before rolling off of Emma and onto the floor with a dull thud.

Carefully swinging her legs over the edge of the couch as to avoid kicking or stepping on Ruby, Emma rubs her eyes and stands, slamming her shin against the coffee table as she staggers to the door, and she releases a strain of choice curses. She opens the door, eyes widening in surprise as she realizes Regina is standing in the hallway. "Regina, what are you doing here at…" she checks her watch, "three in the morning?"

The brunette scans Emma, taking in her tangled hair and wrinkled clothes, and raises her brow. "Did I wake you?" The blonde gawks at her, as if the brunette would casually assume that anyone in their right mind would be awake at this ungodly hour, but she doesn't respond. She opens her mouth to repeat her initial question, only to snap her jaws closed when Regina shakes her head. "I checked into that woman you suggested. It would seem that Miss Darling was of no use to us, or anyone else for that matter."

Emma frowns. "Are you saying she's…?"

Regina nods solemnly. "It seems that whoever is behind the death of Neal Cassidy has been very careful to remove any possible witnesses." Footsteps sound behind Emma and she curses internally, wishing Ruby had stayed asleep and in the living room, but when she notices the flicker of something familiar in Regina's expression, she raises her brow. Why on earth would Regina be jealous of Ruby being in her apartment? "Good morning, Miss Lucas." She nods her head curtly toward Emma and turns to leave.

Emma glances over her shoulder at her friend before hastily following the woman, reaching for her elbow and stopping her. "Regina, can we talk? Please?" she pleads, hopeful that the woman will acquiesce.

Brown eyes meet hers and the detective hesitates before releasing a sigh and nodding once. "Meet me at noon." She doesn't explain where the blonde should meet her, knowing the woman understands exactly where she has in mind. Emma smiles and removes her hand from Regina's elbow, watching as the woman resumes toward the elevator.

Digging her hands in her jeans pockets, Emma returns to her apartment, closing the door behind her and momentarily forgetting that Ruby is present, until her friend clears her throat to grab her attention. Ruby frowns and crosses her arms, silently demanding an explanation, which causes Emma to roll her eyes and step past her into the living room. "Whoever killed Neal decided to kill the woman he's been cozy with," she offers, ignoring Ruby's piercing gaze.

"That's not what I'm waiting for you to explain, Emma, and you know it." She pauses. "Although, it does explain why she decided to drop by in the middle of the night."

Emma shrugs and plops down onto the couch, reaching for her water bottle on the coffee table. "It was nothing, honestly. She came to tell me what I just told you, and I don't know, when she saw you she started leaving. I asked her talk to me, and I'm hoping to get answers." She gazes at the brunette. "Are you worried that we're suddenly going to get back together or something? I highly doubt that would happen any time soon and even if it did, I think I'm capable of handling it. You're not my girlfriend, Ruby, there's no reason for you to be jealous."

She winces as soon as the words leave her mouth, but Ruby seems unfazed by the statement. "Look, I just want to make sure that you're going to be ready if she breaks your heart again. Unless you've forgotten that it was me who had to force you to _eat_ for two weeks after she disappeared. I'm just looking out for you."

Emma runs her fingers through the tangled mess of blonde and sighs in defeat. "I know you are. But I just want answers." Ruby sits next to her and wraps her arm around her shoulders. "I just want the truth."

_Emma sits on Ruby's couch, her friend's arm around her shoulders, as they watch what supposedly is considered the horror film of the year, but neither girl can find the appeal. "It's obviously so fake; why would anyone be afraid of this movie?" Ruby points out. _

_The doorbell buzzes and Ruby nearly leaps out of her skin, landing in a laughing Emma's lap. "Yeah, why _would_ anyone be afraid?" Emma chuckles, earning a scowl and a slap to the shoulder. Ruby slides off her lap and leaves the living room to answer the door, and the blonde's smile fades when she hears a familiar voice. Resisting the urge to hide and pretend that she hadn't come to Ruby's, she rolls her eyes and decides to rescue the brunette, slipping around the corner into the foyer. Neal and Ruby glare bullets into each other, oblivious to her presence, and she clears her throat, earning their attention. Neal's mouth opens and before he can speak, Emma shakes her head. "I broke up with you for a reason and I'm not interested in hearing anything you have to say. You obviously didn't care what I had to say. So I suggest you turn around and go home and just leave me alone."_

_Ruby all but shoves the boy out of her house and slams the door in his face to cut off his argument. When she turns to face Emma, she offers a tiny smile, as though she's worried the blonde will begin ranting about Neal. Certain that she won't, she pushes Emma back into the living room._

"Where does she want you to meet her?" Ruby questions, breaking the silence. Emma glances at her, and the brunette frowns. "She just told you to meet her at noon, but she didn't tell you where."

Emma shrugs, a smile tugging the corners of her mouth upward. "It's just a place that meant something to us once." She doesn't elaborate, and Ruby doesn't pry, directing her attention at the film's looping menu screen. "I know I haven't been here for the past few days, but-"

"Yeah, I'll watch Henry for you," Ruby answers automatically, smirking at the blonde. Emma should have expected nothing less from her best friend, although she feels guilty for asking the favor in the first place.


	3. Reasons

**Disclaimer: I still don't own.**

**A/N: This chapter was a bit harder to write, since it does involve emotions and part of an explanation (spoiler), but listening to _All I See Is Gold_ and _Quicksand_ by Bridget Mendler really helped write it. **

**Enjoy.**

For ten years, Emma had wanted nothing more than to find Regina and demand an explanation from her, to understand why the woman—just an eighteen-year-old girl then—would just up and leave one day without a single goodbye reserved for the blonde. No one had been able to answer her questions, and her mother had denied all knowledge of her daughter's whereabouts. She had taken to sitting on the rooftop above the gymnasium, in hopes that the brunette would appear and tell her that she hadn't left, but each day she was forced to admit defeat and went home with broken wishes.

But now that Regina is within her reach, a sudden anxiety washes over her as she realizes that she knows nothing about this woman or what she has gone through. Of course, she can't claim to have ever completely known her before her disappearance, as the girl then had been careful to only disclose vague information in regards to her life.

Emma sighs, her forehead resting against the cool shower tile as the gradually chilling water slides down her back in quick streams. Her stomach twists in tight knots, whether from nervousness or excitement she isn't sure, and she slams her hand against the single knob above the faucet, halting the rain above her. She doesn't move at first, the single thought of Regina possibly finalizing a rejection striking a nerve.

_What if Regina disappears again?_ the tiny voice in the back of her mind nags and she squeezes her eyes shut tighter. _What if when all of this is over, when they find Neal's killer, she leaves you in the dust again, her memory in your mind, ripping your heart to pieces? _She shakes her head finally and turns away from the wall, snatching the towel from the rack. Now that Regina is here, at least for the moment, Emma needs answers.

A half an hour later she finds herself dragging her feet up the stairs of the high school gym, pushing the door to the roof open and searching the surface before stepping out into the midday sun. Checking her watch, she sighs; for once in her life, she's ten minutes early to something.

Sitting near the ledge of the roof, she swings her legs to dangle over the edge and stares across the vacant campus toward the football field. Moments such as this she wishes she still possessed her slingshot, the reliable weapon having had suffered a most tragic death at the mercy of a wood chipper just weeks after graduation.

A throat clears behind her and she turns her upper body to acknowledge her company. The corners of her mouth curl upward in a tiny smile, her stomach churning with a small hint of happiness that the brunette had shown herself. "You came," she states quietly.

Regina nods, mimicking Emma's smile as their eyes meet, and she realizes the blonde struggled with the dreadful thought of her rejection. "I asked you to meet me, dear. Of course I would be here." She steps closer, sitting beside her old friend, her jean-clad legs crossed and her hands folded in her lap. "I assure you now that I cannot tell you absolutely everything that you want to know, and I want you to promise that you will respect my request and not attempt to pry."

Emma hesitates, knowing that if she causes the brunette discomfort, she could possibly lose her once again, and nods slowly in agreement. "I promise." Fighting the urge to reach for the other woman's hand, she turns her attention to the football field in the distance. "Can you tell me what happened or why you left?"

In the corner of her eye, she notices Regina's nod and waited patiently for the explanation. The woman seems to hesitate, searching for the correct beginning of her story, and Emma offers another tiny smile to encourage her, assuring her that she'll wait as long as it takes. That was how it had always been, whenever Regina had needed her, the blonde had been patient and understanding, despite her own conflict involving Neal or her parents.

She takes a deep breath and begins. "My mother found out that I had been spending most of my time with you, that we were…Well, she was furious about who I had decided to associate with. Here her daughter was, hanging around the school delinquent, when she was supposed to be studying and staying within the perfect circle. We fought about you numerous times, always ending with her statement that I was to stop our friendship and focus on importance.

"I didn't listen to her, however. Those nights that I tapped your window…I was escaping my mother's dictatorship, if only for a few hours." She pauses, as though remembering those eventful nights, curled against the blonde as they spoke of better things. "When she found out that you were not only my friend, she was livid. You were corrupting her daughter, causing her to become a filthy, unnatural whore. She didn't believe that I could ever feel for you the way I did, that I was wrong to ever have those thoughts.

"After you and Neal broke up and you found out that you were pregnant with Henry…people began to whisper rumors around school. My mother heard about them, months later, while I was there for you. She announced that _that_ was the final straw and sent me away, far away from you and with no way to contact you or anyone else. I cannot tell you where she sent me or what happened there; I can't bear to remember it."

She frowns, finally through with an adequate explanation, and follows the blonde's gaze. Emma doesn't speak, allowing the words and events to process, and she sighs. Ten years kept in the dark, after confronting Regina's mother about her disappearance and being lied to slowly bubbles into anger and she clenches her fists. A warm hand rests on hers and she drops her head to stare at the brunette's hand wrapped around her curled hand. "I thought you left because of Henry," she mutters, ashamed that she could have ever felt that way.

Regina shakes her head and removes her hand from Emma's. "The thought of you carrying a child terrified me, especially with our futures to consider, but I'm not cruel enough to have left you like that. I would have loved him as much as I had…" She stops herself before she can complicate this any further, knowing that Emma is emotionally compromised.

_Emma groans at the incessant tapping against the glass of her window and rolls onto her back, squinting through the darkness to distinguish the blurry figure outside. She doesn't understand how anyone in their right mind would climb to the second story of her house, aside from herself, and for a brief moment she fears that it's Neal. Glancing toward the window again, she decides her visitor is more feminine and sighs, prepared to shove Ruby from the ledge. Swinging her legs over the edge of her bed, she sits up and rubs her eyes before padding across the room to open the window. _

_To her surprise, Regina topples in clumsily, her foot caught on the window sill as she prevents a near-faceplant into the carpet, and Emma hurries to help the girl to her feet. "Jesus, Regina, what are you doing? It's…" she looks to the alarm clock next to her bed, "three in the morning." The brunette doesn't reply, instead launching herself at the groggy blonde in a tight embrace, burying her face in a sturdy shoulder. Concern washes over Emma and she fears the worst that something has happened. "Are you okay?"_

"_I don't want to talk about it. Just make me forget about it…please?" Emma frowns in confusion, until Regina lifts her head and kisses Emma, lips moving desperately against hers. Already muddled from sleep, the blonde's brain is slow to process the action, but she doesn't think, instead stepping back toward her bed until the back of her knees touch the edge of the mattress and she sits, pulling Regina down with her._

_The brunette pushes her onto her back, never leaving the kiss, straddling the other girl's hips at the edge of the bed. Emma's hands slip beneath a loose black t-shirt, something she had yet to see on the principal's daughter, and Regina releases a choked sob, finally breaking from the kiss to bury her face against Emma's neck. Tears soaked blonde as Emma gently rubbed her back, murmuring reassurances in her ear. _

"Emma, please understand…"

The blonde nods, turning away from her to stand up; she wants so desperately to run away now that she knows the truth, but to know that it wasn't Regina's fault…that in a way it was hers that the Mills woman sent her own daughter away… She stretches her hand as an offer to assist the brunette to her feet, instantly missing the comfort of Regina's hand when she lets go. Memories from a distant path flood into her mind and she sighs, unable to expel them.

Without a single thought, she leans forward, pressing a chaste kiss to the woman's lips before pulling away. The brunette's eyes are closed, as though she has expected this to happen, and Emma groans, forcing herself to refrain from repeating the action. Her eyes find Regina's as brown eyes open, to search for any hope, but she only finds confusion. Misreading the woman's expression, she stumbles over her thoughts to apologize, halting suddenly when a hand is placed over her mouth.

The pad of Regina's thumb traces her bottom lip before she shakes her head and raises her gaze to Emma's. "We can't do this, Emma. You're a murder suspect…"

Emma cuts her off, pulling entirely away from her and shoving her hands in her pockets. "That's what it always comes down to, isn't it? I'm a fucking criminal, whether I do something wrong or not." She groans, backing away from Regina, who tries to reach for her, and she throws her hands up in frustration. "It isn't fair, Regina. We had to hide it then and now…I didn't do it! Why doesn't anyone believe me?!"

Regina opens her mouth to speak, but Emma only shakes her head and turns away, marching toward the staircase door. She's tired of never being given a chance because of incidents out of her control, and she can't help but hurt that Regina would be the one to reject her for her misfortune.

The apartment is empty when she returns; having no doubt that Henry had persuaded Ruby to go to the park with him. Setting her keys on the kitchen counter, she passes through the apartment to her room and leaps into her bed, fully burying her face in her pillows before she releases a scream to ease the shaking bottle of fury in the pit of her stomach.

After all of these years, she cannot believe that Regina doesn't trust her truth. After she kissed the woman, she'd expected something along the lines that the want was no longer there, but to hear the rejection because of something she _did not_ do tears her apart. The brunette has always been the one person that Emma would have relied on to believe her, to stand with her through any accusation, but she now realizes just how wrong she is to feel that way.

The front door creaks open, followed by the animated conversation between Henry and Ruby, and Emma sighs, composing herself before she rolls off of the bed, stepping into the living room to greet the two. Henry wraps his arms around her in a hug before hurriedly explaining that Ruby had taken him to the park and had raced him to the ice cream shop; a race he had, of course, won. The blonde forces a false smile, causing Ruby's brow to crease with suspicion, and the brunette shoos the boy to his room.

"Okay, spill it," she demands, crossing her arms and cornering her best friend. "What did Regina say or do that hurt you this time because I swear to god, I'm going to give that woman a piece of my mind the next time I see her."

Emma shakes her head, rolling her eyes at her friend's overprotectiveness. She isn't sure that she wants to explain anything now, especially with Henry less than four walls away from them, and if she knows her son, she's sure his ear is pressed against his bedroom door so that he can hear them. "Nothing happened, Ruby. Don't worry; nothing is ever going to happen."

"You said you wouldn't let this bother you, Emma. You said you just wanted answers and that was all you wanted. You said that nothing was going to happen. And yet…You're standing here as though she thrust her hand through your chest and ripped your heart out."

"Look, I don't want to talk about it. So what if I can't help but feel something for her? Christ, Ruby, you know who she was—is—to me! I can pretend all I fucking want to, but that doesn't change the fact that…It doesn't mean that she can't hurt me, whether it's intentional or not." Emma sighs and leans against the wall, holding her head. "I'm screwed."


	4. Overlooked

__**Disclaimer: I don't own.**

**A/N: I know this is a couple of days late, but I spent this weekend extremely sick to where I spent a night in the hospital and then I just kinda got around to finishing it now and I'm running late to get to work. This chapter is a bit...I don't know. I'll just let you be the judge.**

**Enjoy.**

_Regina's fingers lazily trace circular patterns along Emma's bare stomach, her head resting on the blonde's chest. A pale hand caresses her bare hip, a ghost against her skin, and she listens intently to the slow and steady thump—with the occasional skip—of Emma's heart. She remembers the first time, when she had been a sobbing mess of confusion and desperate to forget her problems; and Emma had only held her close and promised she would be there for her when she couldn't hold herself together. _

_For months, she and Emma had grown closer, although she remained vague about personal topics, especially those involving her mother; and she spent most of her time with the blonde, keeping the delinquent out of trouble and off the streets after dark. _

_The blonde beneath her sighs, her chest falling with the released breath, and Regina crinkles her brow, watching as the fingers of Emma's other hands begin softly drumming against the arm resting across her waist. The girl had always had a habit of tapping her fingers when she felt anxious about something, when she's afraid of how Regina will react. She pulls her arm toward her, turning her hand over and slipping her fingers between Emma's. "What's wrong?" she whispers. _

_Emma hesitates, her heart gradually beating faster until it's pounding against Regina's eardrum and the brunette tilts her head, kissing the girl's neck. She wants to assure Emma that she isn't going anywhere, no matter how bad the news that will be shared. But when Emma finally mutters her bothers, Regina freezes and Emma flinches, waiting for the hit. _

_Silence hangs heavy in the room, the tension at its thickest than ever before in their friendship, and Regina processes the information. She stares at the wall farthest from them, swallowing a terrifyingly large lump in her throat, blood rushing to her ears as her stomach churns. Emma panics, knowing the quiet isn't favorable, and attempts to pull away from Regina. "I know that this was the worst time to tell you. I understand if you never want to speak to m—"_

_Regina rolls her eyes, propping up on an elbow and leaning toward Emma, kissing her and effectively cutting her off. Although her brain is telling her to pull away, that they need to discuss this, she understands that Emma doesn't want to at the moment, given the nature of the topic, and she leans further across the blonde, kissing the ear farthest from her. "Please shut up, Emma," she murmurs, her fingertips continuing their patterns along warm skin. _

_Emma turns her head, her mouth meeting Regina's, and she tangles her fingers in brunette locks, her other hand ghosting from Regina's hip to between them, swallowing the gasp that slips from the other girl's lips. And somewhere between the moans and whispered promises, Regina comes undone, grasping onto the blonde as silent tears form in her eyes._

"Detective?"

Regina ceases her fingers tapping on her desk as she glances up at the police chief, eyebrow raised. She's aware that she's been daydreaming, the memory of an important night shared with Emma fresh in her mind, and that the chief has probably been trying to obtain her attention for quite some time now, given the impatience written on his face. "I'm sorry, sir, what?" she inquires apologetically, leaning forward awkwardly and folding her hands on the desk in front of her.

"Your week is up, Mills. If you haven't found another lead to the Cassidy and Darling murders, we're going to have to bring in Swan and see if she confesses."

Regina stands instantly, planting her hands flat on the surface of her desk. "I believe that Emma Swan is innocent and imprisoning her would be due to false accusations. We can't just throw an innocent woman in jail, sir. She has a son."

The chief leans forward, one hand on Regina's desk as he stares her directly in the eye. "Look, I understand that you and Ms. Swan have a personal history, but you need to set aside whatever friendship you have and face the facts. You asked to be put on this case for a reason, and I honestly don't believe that it was to have a nice lunch and catch up. So end whatever bullshit is bothering you, and focus; otherwise, I will _not_ hesitate to assign this case to someone who will do their goddamn job."

Regina opens her mouth to argue with him, but decides that if she does such a thing, Nolan will take her off of the case anyway. Instead, she nods in defeat and watches as the infuriating man marches away, the air of superiority radiating off him as deeply as his arrogance. If she had nothing to lose, no fear that Emma would sorely lose this fight, she would resign, telling the chief clearly where he should put his job, and walk away without a care.

However, there is an innocent woman accused of a murder she did not commit and a connected homicide that she doesn't understand. Nolan had given her one week to find evidence against anyone but Emma; unfortunately there exists none and the week has come to an end. Searching through the case file for possibly the three hundredth time, and noticing for the first time that she had overlooked a witness's statement, she frowns, shoving an unfavorable memory from her mind.

She is not going to enjoy this.

_Emma's breath is hot on Regina's neck, lips and teeth exploring, while Regina's hands curl into fists, clenching the hem of the blonde's tank top tightly in her fingers. Refraining from pulling the offending piece of clothing up and over Emma's head, she attempts to stop the blonde with half-hearted pleas, to which the blonde responds with another nip. "Emma…Please…"_

_Emma drops her head against her lover's shoulder, planting a kiss through the other girl's shirt, and raises her head with a crooked smile. "Yes, _dear_?" she mocks playfully, causing Regina to roll her eyes and chuckle lightly, shifting in the girl's lap. The blonde threads her fingers between Regina's and she leans up, kissing her softly. _

_The girls are yanked into reality when a large repetitive thud against the front door echoes through the nearly-empty house. Emma sighs and waits as Regina slides off of her lap and onto the couch beside her. The blonde hurries through the house as the banging resumes, and Regina hears the creak of the front door opening before a man begins shouting. She freezes in a panic, worried for Emma's safety, until she hears Emma verbally defending herself against accusations. Regina realizes the man is Neal's father and decides to join them, stepping into the foyer. _

_The man stares accusingly past Emma and points his finger. "You stole her from my son! She left him for a disgusting whore." _

_Brown eyes widen at Mr. Gold's words, but before any more can be said, Emma's fist collides with the side of the man's face, knocking him off balance and onto the floor. "Don't you _ever_ speak to her like that again or I swear to g—" Regina grasps her hand before she can swing again and she pulls with strength she didn't know she possessed, dragging the angry girl away from him. "Get the fuck out of my house and leave me alone. If you must know, you asshole, your son accused me of a goddamn prank I had nothing to do with."_

_Mr. Gold staggers to his feet and shoots Emma a scathing look before pointing his finger again. "You will wish you never did that, dearie. I will destroy you if it's the last thing I ever do." He turns and exits the house, slamming the door behind him, leaving the girls alone and seething._

Regina's stomach twists as she rests a hand on the door handle to the interrogation room and she takes a deep breath before pushing it open. Sitting alone in the room, in the metal chair on the opposite side of the table, sits Neal's father, the man determined to ruin her relationship with Emma, if only to force her to marry his son. He smirks, sending an uncomfortable shudder through her, and she slips into the seat in front of her, avoiding eye contact.

"She killed my son," Gold states. "She killed my son and you're just going to let her slip through, without even a slap on the hand. If you hadn't stolen her from him—"

"If your son had actually believed her and not accused her of something she didn't do, they might have stayed together." She clenches her jaw, much like she had witnessed a younger, angry Emma portray, and raises her gaze to his. "Your son was an idiot who allowed the best thing to ever walk into his life, walk away from him because he was an arrogant asshole." Forcing a smile, Regina glances down at the file in front of her on the table. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to know why you visited your son just before he was found murdered."

"I didn't—"

Regina inwardly smirks, knowing the man is lying. "Well, according to a witness, you were seen exiting the apartment after a bout of arguing ten minutes prior to the discovery of Mr. Cassidy's murder. That makes you the last person to be seen before his death. If he had been murdered before you arrived, that means you would have called for help, would you not?"

Gold slams his palms flat on the table as he stands abruptly. "My son was very much alive when I left!"

The detective rolls her eyes before staring up at the man. "_You_ were the last person seen at Mr. Cassidy's apartment, Mr. Gold. And unless evidence states otherwise, you are responsible for the death of your son." As if on cue, an officer opens the door to the interrogation room, moving to arrest Gold, the click of metal securing around his wrists echoing through the room as he's given his rights.

"You won't get away with this!" Gold threatens as he's guided out of the room. "_She_ won't get away with this!"

Satisfied, Regina leans back in her chair, closing the file and releasing the breath she's been holding in. She knows that she's protected Emma for now, if only for a short period of time, but she has to prove that Gold killed his son, and that in itself will be a feat. Gold is a man of power, the very same power that allowed her mother to send her far away from Emma.

Frowning, she remembers the last time she had seen Emma, three days ago on the roof of the high school gym. The betrayal in the blonde's eyes had struck Regina as though the woman had physically slapped her, and she had tried to explain what Emma had automatically misunderstood. _That's not what I meant, Emma. You stopped me before I could explain._

When had this become so complex?


End file.
